DAVID MOYES called on super subs Wayne Rooney and Duncan Ferguson to save Everton with a second-half revival after Leicester had threatened a smash-and-grab raid.

In a see-saw clash at Goodison Park, it was left to Rooney and Ferguson to lead the fightback after Les Ferdinand and James Scowcroft had cancelled out an own goal scored by City's Steve Howey.

Rooney took just 10 minutes to make his mark after coming off the bench on the hour, powering home an Everton equaliser for his second goal in successive matches, prior to Ferguson's first touch of the ball then teeing up Tomasz Radzinski for the winner.

Everton are now four points clear of the relegation zone after recording back-to-back Premiership victories for the first time since April, while the defeat leaves City dangerously hovering over the bottom three.

Everton went ahead in the 32nd minute when a long punt upfield by Nigel Martyn was woefully dealt with by Thatcher on the edge of his own area.

It allowed Lee Carsley to steal in, and after his flick was blocked at point-blank range by a brave Walker, the Foxes goalkeeper was unfortunate to see his save rebound off the shins of Howey and over the line.

Leicester fans taunted referee Phil Dowd earlier in the game, after a couple of incidents went against their side, with the chant of 'Are you Riley in disguise?' - a reference to last week's match when Matt Elliott and Ian Walker were sent off by Mike Riley.

But the Foxes faithful had Dowd to thank for their leveller with virtually the last kick of the first half, and with Ferdinand rifling home a thunderbolt on a rain-lashed afternoon on Merseyside, and his 16th career goal against Everton.

Dowd initially blew after seeing Stubbs hold down Marcus Bent, and when he then threw the ball behind his back in disgust, the Stoke official not only cautioned the Everton skipper, but advanced the ball 10 yards to the edge of the area.

Stubbs' indiscretion proved extremely costly for after Muzzy Izzet had touched on the indirect free-kick, there was 37-year-old Ferdinand to beat Martyn with a searing drive from 19 yards into the top left-hand corner for his sixth goal of the season.

In the second half - and against the run of play - Leicester found the net, Riccardo Scimeca playing in Jordan Stewart down the left and his cross was headed home by a stooping Scowcroft in the 58th minute.

The situation finally called for the introduction of Rooney on the hour, and he duly obliged with the equaliser when Campbell set him up.

Goodison Park erupted to acclaim the 18-year-old and there was more to cheer when Ferguson was introduced, returning from injury and his much-ublicised bust-up with Moyes.

His first touch was to knock down a David Unsworth cross into the path of Radzinski to hammer a 10-yard volley beyond Walker and provide plenty of Christmas cheer.